A Guardian's Pilgrimage

[ski_king3 0]

He walked along the edge of the abyss, unworried by the emptiness that lay beneath him. He’d hoped that the sheer nothingness of the edge of the world would distract him from the pain of his heart and mind. It had not.

 

Sleep. This would be how he would free himself from thoughts of what he’d lost. And if he had not found hope by morning, it would be then that he would decide his fate.

 

He emptied his bag on the ground and began to set up champ. He had not brought many possessions with him to this place; he had a small tent fit for one person, and sheets to keep him warm through the night, a blade of iron crafted in the Alrasian forge shortly before his departure, and the will of his father, Leon. He would not need more at the end.

 

He expected sleep to be uneasy, if it were to come at all, but it was not long before the silent darkness overtook him. He did not usually dream, and when he did, he would only descend into nightmares. However, this dream was different, appearing more vividly, and without the terrors that usually followed him to his dreams.

---

 

He opened his eyes to see a man who looked very similar to him. The man was a bit short, with brown, messy hair, fit from a life of hard work, brandishing the strong, calloused hands of a sailor. This was Leon, his father. It was the woman standing beside him that was unfamiliar, muffled by a dreamy haze that marked her as the only unrecognizable part of his vision.

 

They exchanged words Garion could not understand, but by the time they were finished speaking, his father seemed to be pleading with her. It was to no avail, however, as she turned towards Garion, approaching him through the dreamy shroud.

 

She stopped, looking down at Garion with a smile before lifting him into her arms. Only at this point did he realize he was not himself, but instead a baby, unable to respond to the woman’s touch. She spoke with him quietly, yet the words did not seem to hold any meaning to Garion, muffled and twisted the same way her appearance was. It was only when she raised her hand, golden light leaking from the tips of her fingers, that she emerged from the fog that concealed her.

 

As he stared up at the woman, he could clearly see that she was beautiful. This was not only due to the physical features on her face, but also to the emotions she evoked. Kindness, strength, love, she wore these raw emotions plainly on her face as she stared down at him.

 

She placed her hand upon his head, the light tingling as it played against his skin. As it began to flow into him, she spoke, her quiet voice wrought with power.

 

“Be brave, young one, for you will protect many in your time. His guidance is in your blood as it is in mine. This is my blessing for you.”

 

As she completed her sentence and removed her hand from his head, the clarity of the dream shattered. The scene became masked and broken, Garion only able to see brief fragments.

 

She approached Leon. An embrace. Two new figures, unfamiliar. More speaking. Tears from the woman. Then Leon, standing alone once more.

 

---

Garion woke with a start, sunlight creeping in through the tent flaps. He packed up his few belongings and started the long walk back to the Company. His life would not end today, for he had found a purpose once more.

[Glyc 234]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.